If you are looking for an elegant dish that combines the delicate sweetness of lobster with the bright zest of citrus, this Lobster Ravioli with Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe is an absolute must-try. It’s perfect for those special evenings when you want to impress someone or simply treat yourself to something extraordinary. The combination of tender, baked wonton ravioli filled with rich lobster meat and draped in a luscious lemon butter sauce creates an unforgettable harmony of flavors that dances delightfully on your palate. Plus, the ease of preparing the ravioli ahead of time and baking them fresh makes it great for gatherings or romantic dinners.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Every ingredient in this recipe plays an essential role, from the richness of the lobster to the brightness of the lemon butter sauce. Using simple, fresh elements ensures an exquisite balance of flavors, textures, and colors that make this dish stand out beautifully on your plate.
- Olive oil: For sautéing shallots, adds a subtle fruity aroma enhancing the lobster’s flavor.
- Shallot: Finely diced, provides a delicate sweetness and depth to the filling.
- Parsley: Freshly chopped for a hint of herbal brightness and color contrast.
- Lobster tail meat: The star ingredient, tender and naturally sweet, perfectly diced for the filling.
- Limoncello or lemon juice: Adds a refreshing citrus kick and complements the lobster brilliantly.
- Ricotta cheese: Creamy and mild, binding the filling and adding luscious texture.
- Asiago cheese (or Parmesan/Pecorino Romano): Sharp and nutty, adding complexity and depth.
- Mascarpone or cream cheese: Provides luxurious creaminess to make the filling irresistible.
- Wonton wrappers (or ravioli pasta dough): The perfect delicate casing that crisps beautifully when baked.
- Melted butter: Used to brush ravioli, encouraging golden, crispy edges during baking.
- Lemon Butter Sauce ingredients: Limoncello or lemon juice for tang, salted butter for richness, and heavy cream for silky smoothness.
- Fresh parsley for garnish: To add a vibrant, final touch of color and aroma.
How to Make Lobster Ravioli with Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe
Step 1: Prepare and Cook the Lobster
Start by boiling your lobster tails until they turn beautifully red and the flesh is opaque and firm. This step is crucial to ensure that your lobster meat is tender and perfectly cooked. Using seafood scissors, carefully extract the meat from the shells, making sure to remove any small shell fragments. Then, dice the lobster meat into even, bite-sized pieces for a luxurious texture in every ravioli.
Step 2: Make the Lobster Filling
In a sauté pan, gently cook finely diced shallots in olive oil until fragrant and slightly translucent. Add the diced lobster meat and chopped parsley, allowing the flavors to meld for a couple minutes. After cooling, combine this mixture in a bowl with limoncello or lemon juice, ricotta, Asiago cheese, and mascarpone. Stir until everything is evenly incorporated, creating a decadently creamy and savory filling.
Step 3: Assemble the Ravioli
Lay a wonton wrapper flat on your work surface, then spoon a teaspoon of the lobster filling into the center. Be mindful not to overfill to ensure airtight sealing. Place another wrapper on top and gently press to remove air pockets. Using a ravioli cutter—heart-shaped or any shape you prefer—seal and cut the edges neatly. If you don’t have a cutter, simply fold the wrapper into a triangle, pressing edges firmly. Arrange your filled ravioli on parchment paper-lined trays and brush each with melted butter for that perfect golden finish.
Step 4: Bake the Ravioli
Pop your tray of ravioli into a 400-degree oven and bake for about 10 minutes. The edges will crisp lightly, bringing a lovely contrast to the creamy filling inside. Baking instead of boiling enhances depth of flavor and lets you prepare ahead with ease, ideal for a busy dinner party or romantic night in.
Step 5: Prepare the Lemon Butter Sauce
In a small saucepan, simmer limoncello and lemon juice, then whisk in cubed salted butter gradually until the sauce emulsifies beautifully. Stir in heavy cream for a velvety finish and remove from heat. This sauce perfectly balances the richness of lobster with refreshing citrus, elevating each ravioli bite to gourmet status.
How to Serve Lobster Ravioli with Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe
Garnishes
Sprinkle finely chopped parsley and freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese over the ravioli for a vibrant, fresh look and a subtle burst of flavor. These simple garnishes add a touch of color and enhance aroma, making your dish even more irresistible.
Side Dishes
Pair your lobster ravioli with crisp, lightly dressed arugula salad or steamed asparagus to balance richness with fresh, peppery notes. A glass of chilled white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay will further complement the luxurious flavors, creating a perfect dining experience.
Creative Ways to Present
Serve your lobster ravioli on white plates to highlight their golden edges and vivid sauce. Consider adding edible flowers or microgreens for a sophisticated, restaurant-quality look that will wow your guests. A drizzle of extra lemon butter sauce artistically swirled on the plate makes the presentation as delightful as the taste.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Place leftover ravioli in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 2 days to enjoy optimal freshness. Keep the lemon butter sauce separate if possible to avoid sogginess.
Freezing
You can freeze unbaked ravioli arranged on parchment-lined trays until firm, then transfer to freezer bags. Freeze for up to 1 month. To bake, simply add a few minutes to the cook time—no thawing needed!
Reheating
Reheat baked ravioli gently in a preheated oven at 350 degrees to retain crispiness. Warm your lemon butter sauce separately on low heat and drizzle over before serving to maintain that fresh, velvety sauce texture.
FAQs
Can I use store-bought pasta instead of wonton wrappers?
Absolutely! You can use fresh or frozen ravioli pasta dough for boiling instead of wonton wrappers if you prefer a more traditional approach. Just remember that the baking method with wonton wrappers adds a lovely crispy texture and convenience if you want to prepare ahead.
What if I don’t have limoncello for the sauce?
No worries! Lemon juice works wonderfully as a bright, citrusy substitute. It keeps the sauce fresh and tangy without losing that signature lemon flavor integral to this recipe.
Can this recipe be made gluten-free?
Yes! You can find gluten-free wonton wrappers or pasta alternatives to accommodate dietary preferences. Just be sure to follow the baking times carefully as gluten-free dough might cook a little differently.
How do I prevent the ravioli from leaking during baking?
Make sure to press out all air pockets when sealing the ravioli and avoid overfilling them. Brushing edges with butter also helps seal and crisp the edges, keeping the filling intact and delicious.
Is this dish suitable for a dinner party?
Definitely. One of the best things about the Lobster Ravioli with Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe is that you can assemble the ravioli ahead of time and bake them fresh when ready to serve. It’s elegant, impressive, and stress-free for hosting special occasions.
Final Thoughts
I truly hope you give this Lobster Ravioli with Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe a whirl. It’s a beautiful balance of flavors that feels luxurious but isn’t intimidating to prepare. Whether for a holiday celebration, Valentine’s Day, or simply a weekend treat, this dish brings a touch of magic to your table. The crispy edges and luscious filling paired with zesty, creamy sauce will have everyone asking for seconds. Enjoy every bite and happy cooking!
PrintLobster Ravioli with Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe
Lobster Ravioli with a Lemon Butter Sauce features tender lobster-filled ravioli baked to perfection, offering a delightful alternative to traditional boiled ravioli. This recipe uses wonton wrappers for easy assembly and a crispy finish, complemented by a luscious lemon butter sauce enriched with cream. Perfect for holidays, dinner parties, or romantic evenings, these baked ravioli can be prepared ahead and baked just before serving.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 24 large ravioli
- Category: Dinner & Main Dishes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Ravioli Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large shallot, finely diced
- 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
- 2 cups lobster tail meat (from 4 small 5.5-ounce tails)
- 1 teaspoon limoncello or lemon juice
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons Asiago cheese or Parmesan/Pecorino Romano
- 1 tablespoon mascarpone cheese or cream cheese
- 1 package wonton wrappers (or ravioli pasta dough if preferred)
- ½ cup melted butter
Lemon Butter Sauce
- 4 tablespoons limoncello (or lemon juice as substitute)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup salted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Garnish: finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Cook Lobster Meat: Thaw lobster tails overnight if frozen. Bring 6 cups of salted water to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan. Add lobster tails and simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes until shells are bright red and meat is opaque. Adjust time for different tail sizes.
- Remove and Dice Lobster Meat: Using seafood scissors, cut down the middle of the lobster shell carefully, then crack it open. Gently push the lobster meat out from the shell with your thumb, avoiding sharp shell points. Discard shells and dice meat into ½-inch pieces, discarding any shell fragments.
- Prepare Filling: Heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan. Add diced shallot and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in diced lobster meat and parsley; cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Combine Filling Ingredients: In a bowl, mix the cooled lobster mixture with limoncello or lemon juice, ricotta, Asiago cheese, and mascarpone until well combined.
- Assemble Ravioli: Place one wonton wrapper on a clean surface and add 1 teaspoon of lobster filling in the center. Avoid overfilling. Place a second wrapper on top, press down to remove air, and seal edges with a ravioli cutter (heart-shaped or preferred shape). Alternatively, fold wrapper into a triangle over the filling and press edges together firmly.
- Prepare for Baking: Place assembled ravioli on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Brush each with melted butter evenly.
- Bake Ravioli: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Bake ravioli for 10 minutes until edges are slightly brown and crispy, enhancing flavor and texture.
- Make Lemon Butter Sauce: In a small pan, gently simmer limoncello and lemon juice. Whisk in cubed butter gradually until fully melted and combined. Stir in heavy cream, mix thoroughly, and remove from heat.
- Serve: Drizzle lemon butter sauce over the baked ravioli. Garnish with finely chopped parsley and additional grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Baking wonton ravioli rather than boiling enhances flavor, gives a crispy texture, and prevents filling from leaking.
- You can use traditional ravioli pasta and boil if preferred, but baking allows easy make-ahead prep for entertaining.
- Adjust cooking times for lobster tails based on size to ensure they are perfectly cooked and not overdone.
- Use limoncello for authentic flavor, but lemon juice is a good substitute if unavailable.
